In copier and in modern fast data printers that operate on the principle of electrophotography, charge images are generated on a recording medium, for example directly on an intermediate carrier (photoconductive drum) or directly on special paper, and are subsequently inked with a black powder (toner) in a developer station. Given employment of an intermediate carrier, this toner image is subsequently transferred onto normal paper and fixed thereon.
As a rule, a two-component developer that is composed of ferromagnetic carrier particles and of the toner particles carrying the color is used. The developer is conducted past the charge image on the intermediate carrier with a magnetic brush arrangement, the toner adhering thereto as a result of electrostatic forces.
An electrophotographic copier means that develops charge images according to the principle addressed above is disclosed, for example, from DE-AS 21 66 667 and corresponding U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,784,297 and 3,883,240.
Due to the inking of the charge images on the intermediate carrier, the toner concentration in the developer mix of the developer station constantly decreases. It is therefore necessary to constantly supply new toner to the developer mix in metered fashion. Since the toner consumption per time unit is extremely high in fast copier means and high-performance data printers, a roomy, toner reservoir is used in such apparatus in order to avoid down time caused by refilling toner. When this toner reservoir is empty, the toner that is usually supplied in handy containers is filled into the reservoir. It is thereby important to fill the toner from the container into the reservoir such that no toner is spilled and thereby contaminates the environment.
German Patent No. 32 24 296 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,759 discloses an apparatus for filling and sieving toner from a container into a toner reservoir. The toner situated in a transport container, namely in a toner bottle, is thereby supplied to a reservoir in that the toner bottle is inverted into a filling aperture of the reservoir. A strainer basket that is closed from the reservoir with a sieve is arranged in the region of the filling aperture, this strainer basket being in communication with an electrical shaker means that can be triggered as needed. The shaker means is thereby triggered by opening the cover that closes the filling aperture.
In such filling devices, there is then the risk that the toner will be spilled given manual decanting from the toner bottle. Since, moreover, the toner is only supplied to the toner reservoir at a defined location, special distributor devices are needed in the toner reservoir in order to guarantee a uniform supply of the toner to the developer station.
Xerox Disclosure Journal, Vol. 1 No. 8, August 1976, p. 47, also discloses that toner be supplied to the developer station from a reservoir arranged at a distance therefrom in that air is blown through the reservoir. This air then transports the toner into the developer station.
DE-A-3 116 870 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,112 further discloses an apparatus for filling toner from a container into a reservoir in the development station of a non-mechanical printer or copier means. The apparatus is composed of a centering tank, of a seating surface and of a filling opening of the reservoir fashioned shaft-like. A swivel hole is arranged between the seating surface and the centering tank. The container is first arranged in the centering tank secured against turning. After being opened, the container is swivelled around the swivel hole until it comes to lie in the seating surface. The opening of the container thereby proceeds over the filling opening of the reservoir. The container is subsequently inverted into the filling opening.